A Full and True Relation of the ELEPHANT That is brought over into England from the Indies, and Landed at London, August 3d. 1675.  
Giving likewise a true Account of the wondered Nature, Understanding, Breeding, Taking, and Taming of Elephants.  
And Likewise whe●e this Elephant is to be seen.   depiction of an elephant and its mahouts 
AMongst all the Wonderful and Prodigious Creatures that have been seen in this Kingdom of England, since the Age of Man, none so strange, nor so great as an Elephant, and which is more, it cometh nearest in wit and capacity, to man, as Pliny saith; for they understand the Language of that Country wherein they are bred: they do whatsoever they are commanded, they remember what duty they are taught, and withal take delight both in love and glory: Nay, more than all this, they embrace goodness, honesty, prudence, and equity, (rare qualities to be found in men) and withal have in Religion, reverence, (with a kind of Devotion) not only the Stars and planets, but the Sun and Moon they also worship. And some writers report thus much of them, that when the New Moon beginneth to appear bright, they come down to a certain River named Amelus, in the Deserts and Forests of Mauritania, where after they are washed, and dashed themselves all over with the water, and have saluted and adored, after their manner that planet, they return again into the woods, carrying before them their young Calves, that be wearied and tired. Moreover▪ they are thought to have a sense of Religion and Conscience in others; for when they are to pass the Seas into another Country, they will not Embark before they be induced thereunto by an Oath of their Governors, that they shall return again; and seeing there have been divers of them, being enfeebled by sickness (for as big as they be, subject they are to grievous Maladies) to lie upon their backs, casting and flinging Herbs up towards Heaven, as if they had procured and set the Earth to pray for them. Now for their Docility and aptness to learn any thing, the King they adore they kneel before him, and offer unto him Garlands and Chaplets of Flowers, and green Herbs. The lesser sort of them, which they call Bastards, serve the Indians in good stead to blow their Ground.  
They breed in that part of afric which lieth beyond the Deserts of Syrteses: also in Maurita●ia, they are found also amongst the Aethiopians and Troglodytes, but India bringeth forth the biggest: as also the Dragons that are continually at variance with them, and evermore fight, and those of such greatness that they can easily clasp and wind round about the Elephants, and withal, tie them fast with a Knot. In this Conflict they die, both the one and the other: the Elephant falls down dead as conquered, and with his heavy weight crusheth and Squeeezeth the Dragon that is wound and wreathed about him.  
In India, from whence this Elephant came, they take them in this manner: The Governor driveth one of them that are tame, into the Chase and Forests, and when he can meet with one of them alone, or single him from the Herd, he beateth the wild beast till he hath made him weary, and then he mounteth upon him, and ruleth him as well as the other.  
In afric they catch them in great ditches, which they make for that purpose, unto which if one of them chance to fall, and cannot get out; so soon as he is seen by other Elephants, they immediately come to secure him, they bring all the boughs they can get, and put them into the Ditch, then roll down blocks and stones, and any thing that will serve to raise a bank, then strive all they can to pluck him out.  
The manner of taming (as furious and raging mad as they be sometimes] is with hunger and stripes; but men must have the help of other Elephants that are tame already, to restrain the unruly Beast with strong Chains, In the Indian and African Wars they served to carry Castles with armed Men on their backs, to enter the Squadrons and battalions of the Enemies, and for the most part, all the service in the Wars of the East, was performed by them, they broke the ranks, bore down armed men that were in their way, and stamped them under foot. These terrible beasts [as outrageous as they seem) are frighted with the least grunting of a Swine.  
They breed but once in all their l●fe time, and go two years with young, yet bring forth but one neither; also they Live commonly by course of Nature 200 years, some of them 300. Their youthful time and strength of age beginneth when they be sixty years old, but this which is brought over into England is said to be but seven.  
The Trunks and bodies of Trees is the best meat they have, and therein take most delight. They chew and eat their Meat with their mouth, but they breath, drink, and smell with their Trunk, which is not improperly called their hand. Of all other living creatures they cannot abide a Mouse or a Rat, and if they perceive their provender lying in the Manger taste or scent never so little of them, they refuse it, and will not touch it. They are mightily tormented with pain, if they chance in their Drinking to swallow down an Horseleech, for as soon as the horseleech hath settled fast in his Windpipe it putteth him to intolerable pains; their skin or their backs is most tough and hard, but the flesh soft and tender, covered their skin is neither with hair nor bristle, no not so much as in their tail, which might serve them in good stead to drive away their troublesome flies. Their skin is full of cross wrinkles, and besides that, the smell thereof is able to draw such vermin to it; and therefore when they are laid stretched along, and perceive the flies settle in swarms on their skins, suddenly th●y draw such crannies together close, and so crush them all to Death: their teeth bear a very high price, and were reckoned very commendable by the Heathens, to make the Stautes and Images of their Gods; but the greatest use that we make of them here, is to make Combs, as we may see here at most Comb-makers doors in London.  
Now having given you an account of their understanding, how they breed, the manner of taking and taming of them, I will now inform you of one lately brought over into England, and give you a full Description of it, as thus: This Elephant is of a Dun colour, the body of it [though but young) is bigger than the bodies of two horses, a strange, wonderful, and mighty large head, with a Trunk or Nostril extending a yard downwards, Eyes but ordinary, Ears like a Bloodhound, hanging down, Legs as big or bigger than an ordinary man's body, and feet proportionable, etc. But this being not above seven years old, is not grown the sixth part to what it will be about sixty years hence, if it live so long.  
If any persons are desirous to see this wonder of Beasts, let them repair to the Rising-Star in St. Johns-Court, near Clerkenwell-green, where they may have true information, where they may see it, it being kept near it.   

Printed for William Sutten, in the Year, 1675.